Apparatus for lowering pipes in wells



July 25, 1933 G. G. HARRINGTON APPARATUS FOR LOWERING' PIPES IN WELLSFiled Aug. 51, 1931 /wwww L ATTORNEY.

Paten-ted `luly 25,V 1933 UNITEu sTaTEs PATENT *orTlcE GEORGE G.HARRINGTON, F HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO REED ROLLER BIT COM- PANY, 0FHOUSTON, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS APPARATUS FOR LOWERING PIPES INWELLS Application led August 31, 1931.

This invention relates to apparatuses for lowering pipes in wells.

The rotary drill stem employed in deep well drilling comprises a pipemade in sections and having on its lower end a drill bit. When the drillpipe is long, and its length sometimes exceeds a mile, it is very heavy.For reasons well known to those skilled in the art, it must beremovedfrom and then again lowered into the well as the drilling proceeds. Toreduce the strain on the hoisting apparatus when the drill pipe islowered into the hole, a float valve is now mounted in the drill pipe toprevent the passage of the water in the well upwardly therethrough. Aportion of the weight of the pipe is thereby placed upon the water inthe well. But although the conventional float valve performs a goodservice while the-pipe is being lowered, it is not removable from the 2@pipe while the pipe is in the well, and this is objectionable forseveral reasons. One conventional drill bit is adapted to be loweredthrough the drill pipe and to automatically assume a cutting position onthe lower end '725 of the pipe; and to be removed through the pipe whenworn to be replaced by a new bitall while the pipe is in the well. Itwill be obvious that this bit cannot be used when the conventional floatvalve is used because the float valve obstructs the passage through thepipe.

This invention has for its principal object the provision of a new andimproved float valve that can be removed yfrom the drill pipe while thepipe is in the well so that such drill bits may then be lowered intoplace through the drill pipe.

The invention will also be found useful in lowering into a well casings,linings, tubings, and other pipes; because, while the oat valve may beused advantageously whilethe pipe is being lowered, it maybe removedafter the pipe is in place so that the passage through the pipe isunobstructed. l p

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by 'theaccompanying drawing, of which Fig.` 1 is a sectional elevation of thevalve carrier in a pipe; Fig. 2,` a horizontal section on the line 2-2of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and Seral No. 560,359.

this pipe, I provide a section 2 having an internal annular groove 3 toform shoulders'to be engaged by the dog 4 of the valve Acarrier 5.

The carrier 5 is substantially cylindrical to fit within the section 2,but its upper portion has tiattened sides 6 (Fig. 2) to form with thepipe fluid passage-ways that communicate v with the transversepassageways 7 and axial passageway 8. Movable in a lcage 9 on thev lowerend o fthe valve carrier and urged upwardly against the seat 10 by thespring 11 is a float valve 12. Surrounding the carrier are y a pluralityof packinglrings 13 to seal the space between the carrier and the pipesection.

The dog 4 is pivoted at 14 in the transverse slot 15 of the carrier andl is connected to a reciprocable plunger 16 by the pin 17 fitting 1nelongated slot 18. The dog 4 is urged into the groove 3 by the spring19. Y l

The plunger 16 has a head 20 adapted to be engaged by the fingers 21`(Fig. 5) of the overshot 22.

rllhe lioat valve may be used as follows: T he carrier 5 may be insertedin thie pipe section 2 until the dog 4 reaches and is forced into thegroove 3 by the spring 19. ,The dog 4 will then serve to preventmovement of the carrier in the pipe section.

The pipe section 2 may then be connected to form a section of the pipe 1at the desired point.

[The pipe 1 may then be lowered into the well. The valve 12wi'll preventthe passage of water or other fluid in the well upwardly through thecarrier, so that there will be no fluid in the pipe 1` above thecarrier. A portion 'of the vweight of the pipe is thereby placed uponthe fluid in the well.

When the pipe has been lowered to a predetermined point, water may thenbe pumped into the pipe 1 above the carrier. The water will passdownwardly through the passageways 7 and 8 of the carrier and will openthe may readily be removed therefrom. 'lhen' the overshot 22, attachedto the conventional wire line, not shown, may be lowered until itsfingers 21 engage the head 20 of the plunger 16. When the overshot iselevated, the plunger 16 will be moved upwardly in the carrier 5, thepin 17 moving upwardly in the slot 18 to withdraw the dog 4 from thegroove 3, against the resistance of the spring 19. Then the carrier willbe moved upwardly through and out of the pipe 1.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment hereindisclosed. Various changes may be made within the scope of the followingclaims:

I claim:

1. A well pipe valve carrier having a iuid passageway therethrough, aoat valve in said passageway, a pipe engaging carrier holding dogmovable into active and inactive positions, and means to move said doginto its inactive position. y

2. A well pipe valve carrier having a iuid passageway therethrough, a'loat valve in` said passageway, a packing surrounding said carrier, acarrier holding pipe engaging dog mounted on said carrier so that 1t 1smovable into active and inactive positions, and `a plunger slidable insaid carrier and connected to said dog to move said dog into itsinactive position.

3. The combination with a well pipe having an internal shoulder, of avalve carrier having a movable holding dog, a spring to urge said doginto engagement with said shoulder to hold said carrier in said pipe, aplunger to move said dog out of engagement with said shoulder, a iuidpassageway, a iioat valve in said passageway, and a packing to seal thespace between said carrier and said pipe, said carrier being removablethrough said pipe.

4. The combination with a well pipe having an internal shoulder, of avalve carrier and a float valve in said carrier, said carrier having amovable holding dog to engage said shoulder, a plunger, said dog beingmoved by said plunger out of engagement with said shoulder when saidplunger is pulled upwardl whereupon said carrier may be removedYupwardly through said pipe.

5. The combination with a well pipe, of a Valve carrier and a ioat valvein said carrier, said carrier having holding means to engage said pipeand prevent upward movement of said carrier in said pipe, said holdingmeans being releasable from said pipe by an upward pull, whereupon saidcarrier may be removed upwardly through said ppe.

GEORGE G. ARRI'NGION.

